Feb. 11, 2010

Each day this week, msuspartans.com will take a look at one of the four early enrollees of the 2010 recruiting class: Le'Veon Bell, Joe Boisture, Max Bullough and Nick Hill. Today, Le'Veon Bell is featured.

Bell's Profile | Bell's Highlights

Standing at 6-2 and weighing 221 pounds, early enrollee Le'Veon Bell is already Michigan State's biggest running back heading into next season. Head coach Mark Dantonio said Bell "provides our offense with a big back in the mold of a Jehuu Caulcrick", the former Spartan who set a then-MSU record with 21 touchdowns in 2007. Along with fellow early enrollee Nick Hill, Bell will join a young Spartan backfield when spring practice begins March 23, as MSU's top two ball carriers from last season were true freshmen Larry Caper and Edwin Baker.

Bell proved to be a playmaker throughout his career at Groveport Madison High School, especially his senior year, when he accounted for 1,750 total yards and 24 touchdowns. The Reynoldsburg, Ohio, native also scored 21 rushing TDs and ran for 1,333 yards on 200 carries (6.7 avg.) in 2009, including a career-high 336 yards and four scores against Dublin Jerome.

At Michigan State's signing day press conference Feb. 3, Bell took some time to meet with the media and talked about his decision to attend MSU, his early enrollment, and his thoughts on the Spartan running backs.

On his feelings about signing day...
I'm really excited about it and it actually came pretty quick. For the three weeks I have been here we have been talking about signing day but I didn't know it was going to come this quick. I am really excited about it though.

On his transition from high school...
The transition from high school was tough, especially the first week and a half because it was really different. But now I have so much help around me. I have my teammates, my tutors and my mentors. So, right now I'm doing really well - a lot better than I thought I would.

On when he made his decision to early enroll...
I knew I was going to early enroll at the end of my junior season. I talked to my principal about it and told him that I wanted to go to college early because I wasn't going to really miss anything my senior year.

On competing for playing time at running back...
That is how I want to do it, I want to come in and compete. By me competing, that is going to make the rest of the running backs on the roster play better. It will also make me better because they will be competing against me, which will make the team better as a whole.

On being able to play during the spring season...
It is a nice opportunity because there are only four or five running backs on the roster right now. That's why I'm getting a chance to earn playing time, and that's exactly what I wanted.

On his first college game being only six months after his last high school game...
I can't explain the feeling, I am just really excited to play at the college level.

On moving from a high school playbook to a college playbook...
The challenge for me is going to be learning the pass protections and things like that...I have been watching film with Larry Caper and he has helped me out a lot.

On the importance of film study...
Watching film is very important because you have to see exactly how it will be. You can talk about it all you want, but actually watching it and actually doing it will make you better and pick it up faster.